Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-04-22
MRS. BRAY.

an. black eyed and erin son cheek.
with a splendid bust. and arms which
she did not mind showing. | was lit
tie pale creature, neither ugly nor pref
ty, but did not envy her. Let all the
men on earth adm re her-one love- me-
II l was fair in his eyes cared nothing
for her.
The other girls were jealous at times.
Madge Burt and Barbara Brown declar-
ed that there was no such thing as get
ting any attention from any one where
she was, and certainly she tried her
best to fascinatc her. Militant Bray
vas her name, and | understand that,
young as she was. she was divorced
woman.
1t may have been that she was very
much ill-used by her husband, and had
been the injured party altogether-I
presume it is often so--but pure women
will bear good deal rather than sever
the only tie that binds them TO hus-
bands side. and there is always
doubt about a divorce. Some of the
ladies at Mrs. Horizons shrugged their
shoulders and wondered what the old
lady had been thinking of to take Mrs.
Bray in. The gentlemen, however,
bought in her defense. Beautiful. mu-
Lcal, fond of Irritation and apt at fiat
terry, she won her way into their liking.
For my part, did not respect her one
whit. did not see anything to love
IN her, but | admired her. Unlike
most women, l always found myself
able to see the charms that men see in
personally attractive woman.
But were / man | could not do as
men do; ilatter these fl rts At the eX-
pense of true-hearted women, who love
them with all their souls. When good
Mrs. Carman went to her room with
tears in her eyes, leaving Mr. Carman
whispering soft nothings in Mrs Bray 5
ear. and when little Ellie Fay crimson
sd and trembled with anger because
her lover forgot ner while he turned
The beauty's music and looked down in
her eyes, | often thought to myself that
hose were poor triumphs after all, and
hat those men who gave them TO her
we're but lily creatures. She liked
none of them. She Knocked them and
had little nicknames for each. She was
cold in heart rs she was warm in man
ner. Her imprisoned chances were
those of an actress and nothing more.
She gave these glances to my Harry
IS well rs to others, but | had no fear
was handsome and that she sang well;
20 did |.
We had met at Mrs. Horizons.
was an orphan and taught music for
my bread; he was young clerk in a
Wholesale house. Az our first meeting
We liked each other. and he was the
only lover | had ever had. When
gave HIM my betrothal kiss II was with
Ups that had never met those of any
man before. and | was glad to think of
K. We had been engaged three months,
and were 10 be married in the spring.
We were wrapped up in each other, and
concerned ourselves very little about
Mrs Bray. did not. 1t pleased me-
better to think of better women. There
were others whose minds were continu-
ally running on her. however. Jealous
Ellie Fay could never quite forget her.
Over and over and over again she sat in
my room, with tears pouring down her
cheeks, and talked of her.
She's a wretch, she declared, "a
bold, forward, cruel creature. She
knows Charlie is engaged to me. She
knows il. | see it IN her ewes; and she
works so hard to Get him to herself.
Charlie doesn't know what he is doing
for hmself | shall break with him
yet, and do love him so. No one will
ever love him so much.
Then she would cry again and begin
The old story of Mrs. Bray's conduct,
of her looks, her contr.vances, her
bccks and wreathed smiles. | felt sorry
for the child; she was but 10, and sorry,
too, for Charlie, who was acting as
most foolish boys do under those cir.
eumstances. But one morn ng she be-
gan another strain.
Mrs. Bray is at work with your
Harry now" she said land she II twist
him round her finger soon, as she does
NV Charlie. It's wtchcraft those
women have-an unholy power of some
kind. You'll see, Ethel; you'll suffer
Is do soon"
And then she spoke of words and
looks and actions that had quite escap-
ed me, but which. spoken of, made me
strangely uncomfortable. | had utter
tAith in Harry. but / did not like to
hear such things. At first it was only
that, but after while it was more.
As the days went on | noticed one
or two things that were suspicious.
saw that she contrived to meet my
lover in the halls and on the stairs, to
ait near him at dinner-time, to 90 out